This is a workout from Caroline Girvan‘s CGX app. For more info on Caroline’s App, see the CGX App page. Another killer upper body workout! Though chest is in the title and the chest does get some work, the main focus of this workout is the triceps and shoulders. Mine are fried! Caroline was burning out, too. She took multiple little breaks to thaw her muscles out, too!
The workout starts with straight sets then moves into super sets. The exercises are done interval style. The interval and recovery times vary so they are noted below in the breakdown. There is a timer in the upper right hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Caroline previews the next exercise(s). There is also a progress bar at the bottom of the screen, counting down the workout time as a percentage.
Chest, Shoulders & Triceps is 38:34 minutes (this time does not include the optional 3:55 minute warm up or the 3:24 minute intro, also optional) with a 2 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells, a chair/bench and a fitness mat. Push up bars are optional. Caroline is using 12.5kg/27.5 pounds, 10kg/22 pounds, 7.5kg/16.5 pound and 4kg/8.8 pound dumbbells. The weights listed below are what I used.
- Diamond press for 90 seconds (lay on back holding one DB in each hand, press DBs together over chest, press DBs to ceiling keeping arms/elbows close to sides) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Shoulder press for 60 seconds (seated in chair, arms are in goal post) (20# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #1-4 two more times
- Rear fly (palms facing inwards) for 60 seconds (seated bent over rear delt fly, palms face each other) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Push ups for 30 seconds (Caroline is using push up bars)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #6-8 two more times
- Overhead tricep extension for 60 seconds (French press) (one 25# DB)
- (no rest) Tricep dips for 30 seconds (Caroline is using her bench)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #10-12 two more times
- Around the world for 60 seconds (with palms facing forward and hands in front of thighs, keeping arms straight, raise DBs out to sides then overhead, lower DBs out to sides and back in front of thighs) (8# DBs)
- (no rest) Partial lateral raise for 30 seconds (only lift arms/DBs halfway) (8# DBs)
- 30 second rest
- Repeat #14-16 two more times
- Tricep press to overhead tap for 60 seconds (lay on back with a DB in each hand, palms facing each other and arms/elbows kept close to sides, push DBs to ceiling then bend elbows into a skull crusher, bringing DBs to floor on either side of head but just past head) (15# DBs)
- (no rest) Overhead extension for 30 seconds (hold one DB in both hands, similar to skull crusher except arms are extended so elbows are in line with forehead, bend elbows bringing DB toward floor behind head) (one 15# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Skull crushers for 60 seconds (15# DBs)
- (no rest) Overhead extension for 30 seconds (one 15# DB)
- 30 second rest
- Tricep press for 60 seconds (like a chest press but arms are kept close to sides and palms face each other) (20# DBs)
- Overhead extension for 30 seconds (one 15# DB)
30 second rest
Finisher: (one minute; each exercise is done for 30 seconds with no rest/recoveries)
- Diamond press (20# DBs)
- Repeat #1 but holding one DB in both hands (one 20# DB)
I would love to see a comparison of Caroline Girvan’s workouts (like Iron Series) and Cathe Friedrich’s STS 1 and STS 2 programs. I am about to finish Iron and cannot decide if I should stick with Caroline or go back to Cathe.
Thank you!
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I have reviewed all 3 programs: STS, STS 2.0, CGX Irom program. I did not do an overall review of Caroline’s 6 week YouTube Iron series. I have not done a comparison review but they are all different. I think in the STS 2.0 review I might have made some comparisons between the original STS and 2.0 but it’s been a while since I looked at it. Off the top of my head, the rest/recoveries are longer in STS 2.0 than in either of the Iron programs and both STS programs are rep based whereas the Iron programs use timed intervals. With the timed intervals you can make it anything you want–endurance use lighter weights and do more reps, hypertrophy heavy weights and keep pace with Caroline. Strength–very heavy weights and keep track of reps aiming for 4-6 and giving yourself more rest (so rather than working the entire 60 second interval work for 30-40 seconds doing less reps with heavier dumbbells, giving yourself more rest/recovery time). Of course you can do that with STS 2.0 as well. You don’t have to do the exact reps Cathe does–you can heavy up and do less reps.
The biggest different between all of them is variety. STS 2.0 has less variety but also gives you recovery workouts (foam rolling, mobility, stretching, yoga). The original STS gives you more variety but no recovery workouts other than a single (but wonderful) 15 minute stretch. And both Iron programs give you the most variety but again, you’re on you’re own for recovery workouts. And recovery is very important but if you’ve been exercising for a while you can put together your own recovery workouts. You don’t need a program to tell you what to do. But STS 2.0 does take the thinking out of the equation.
I did STS 2.0 for 6 months. I stopped because my gains were plateauing. I switched to CGX Iron and I started making gains again. So I do think it is important to switch things up otherwise you stop making gains. Hope this helps!
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Thank you for your thoughtful reply! I really appreciate it. I think I will do another round of CG and add the add on workouts and the do one of the STS’s.
I always read your workout reviews and love them!
Best,
Sarah
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